CATS: Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study

The CATS study is a new and unique longitudinal study of children in metropolitan Melbourne as they approach adolescence. The study began in 2012 and will follow over 1200 children from grade 3 (8-9 years of age). The children will be visited once every year, and in 2013 completed the second wave of visits to participating students. The study will also collect information on parents and teachers.The main focus of the study is on the health and emotional development of children during the middle years of school with the aim of improving our understanding of the many influences that effect the health and emotional adjustment of children as they approach their teens. The study will look at the experiences of children and their families, their changing social context as they move into secondary school and their reactions to the biological changes of puberty.The information collected as part of this large study will help us identify when and how to promote the best health and emotional adjustment in pre-teens.

University of Melbourne
University of South Australia
University of NSW
UCL Institute of Child Health, UK
La Trobe University, Australia
Deakin University, Geelong
University of Washington, Seattle USA
University of Birmingham, UK
University of Oregon, USA